9 Months, 4/16/11

Better late than never! I don't know what's wrong with me! I've been working on this post since the 19th, and I'm just getting it finished. Grrrr!

Matthew is 9 months old, and I honestly can't believe it! I absolutely love him to pieces! His eczema was really flared up the day I took these pictures, and again, he was more interested in the sign...






Here are some facts about this boy of mine ours.

***At his check-up on April 15th, he weighed 21 lbs, 6 oz (65%) and was 27 3/4 inches long (35%). His head didn't grow very much; it was 17 3/4 inches (45%). He looks very proportionate to me, and of course, the pediatrician wasn't concerned about his head size bouncing around. We see the neurologist again next week, so I'm curious to see how he plots again on their chart.

***He is wearing 9 & 12 month clothes. He has gone through such a huge growth spurt lately. He wasn't in 6 month clothes very long at all. Many of his 9 month clothes are getting tight, and he just started wearing them! 12 month fits him the best. Size 3 diapers still fit him well, and he doesn't have any shoes yet, so I have no idea what size he wears. :)

***He has pretty much mastered sitting by himself. He cannot get himself into the sitting position, but once placed there, he balances well. He's not at the point that I just plop him and leave him. No, no. I sit behind him just in case he needs a hand. Literally. He doesn't sit up super straight yet, but he sits.


He isn't anywhere near crawling as he isn't able to put enough weight on his arms to get on all fours yet. Shoot, he can't even do tummy time for very long. It will be a long process for sure, but we're working on it.

He moves his right arm great now, Praise The Lord, but he does NOT like to put weight on it. That's the big thing we are still working on in PT. That and getting him to utilize the muscles on his right side.

He opens his right hand, picks up toys with it, and is able to transfer a toy from one hand to the other. His right hand is still in a fist when he is relaxed, but I stretch and massage it several times a day, usually when I'm giving him a bottle.

***Speaking of the bottle, he is eating more solids these days. He's up to three meals every day. His diet includes oatmeal, squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, avocado, bananas, pears and peaches. At least for now. He gets 5-6 bottles a day of varying amounts depending on his solids. I'm pumping, still, and hating every second of it. He gets supplemental formula to fill in the gaps.

He has four teeth and is trying to cut two more. He is having the hardest time getting his top two front teeth in (he has the ones on either side up top and the two bottom center). Yesterday his gums were so swollen that when he smiled I could see it hanging down. Poor baby! He doesn't fuss much, though, which is amazing!

I'm starting to think about letting him try some finger foods. I'm just not quite sure he's ready, and unfortunately my pediatrician was no help. Uggh. I have introduced him to a sippy cup. He holds the handles, puts it to his mouth and chews on the tip, drinking out of it occasionally, and usually choking when he does.

His first time with a sippy.





***He grinds his teeth together, but since he doesn't have his top teeth yet, he has to scoot his bottom jaw over to reach the teeth on the side. Too funny!




***He still sleeps like a champ. 11 hours a night, 2-3 naps during the day that total about 4-5 hours. He has learned to roll from his back to his tummy very well which is great! (well, he rolls to his left side, but not to his right so much. Go figure!) He has started doing it in his sleep, which isn't so great because he hates his tummy! He wakes up and protests until someone I go turn him over. He hasn't figured out how to get from his tummy to his back yet. Apparently when he did it a few weeks ago, it was a fluke! Oh well. We take what we can get!

***He loves to play peek-a-boo. He puts the burp cloth over his head, or his bib when he's in the high chair, and pulls it off with a huge grin or a little laugh.

***When he can work his way down to the end of his crib, he loves to grab his mobile with one hand and shake it. I'm on it as soon as I hear it. At 5:09 am this morning in fact! We will be lowering the crib mattress soon. Yes, for the first time!

***He still loves to jump in his exercauser.

***He loves to "clap" his feet.



***He loves to hold his paci the wrong way.



***He has healed completely from his hernia surgery. At his post-op appointment last week, the doctor felt a true hydrocele (fluid filled cyst) that developed as a result of the surgery, but he wasn't worried. He said they go away, and if it was still there at 2 yrs of age to come back to him. Here's a picture of him the day after his surgery. See the two little incisions on his lower abdomen?


***I've been so focused on his physical development and delays that I haven't given second thought to his verbal skills/social development. He's happy. He engages. He laughs. He makes noises. I honestly didn't think much of it. But he's WAAAY behind, at least according to his pediatrician and the sheet I got from his physical therapist. The therapist did say, however, that with babies, they typically don't do anything about speech "delays" until age two. I know babies develop on their own time line, and I wouldn't be worried if it weren't for his brain injury. Only time will tell. All of that deserves a post itself.

***He has gotten to the point that he cries when I leave the room, or even if I get up from the table and go to the kitchen sink. He is just starting to show signs of stranger anxiety, too, but not it's not too bad yet.

We love you Matthew, our big 9 month old bundle of joy!